​Supporting farm to school programs and local farmers is important to our teams. Chartwells is passionate about the food education that comes to life when bringing together students, farmers chefs and fresh foods. It is an essential element in developing a lifelong connection to fresh, local produce and establishing sustainable healthy habits.

Below are a few examples of our ever-expanding commitment to local farmers and sustainability initiatives:

​Flash Frozen program – This program preserves local foods so they can​ be enjoyed all year long. We were the first in the industry to implement this creative concept that benefits both local farmers and students.

Farm to School campaign – We encourage local produce vendors to purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables from area farmers so we can make fresh and local meals in our kitchens.​ We tell the story of the locally sourced item through in-cafe maps and farmer biographies as well as Nutrislice.

Take a look at some of the other ways local farms play a big role in our schools and cafes in the video above.